Time-retarded lamp-extinguishing device



M. H. BAKER, DECD.

u. u. BAKER. ADMINISTRATIHX.

TIME RETARDED LAMP EXTINGUISHING DEVICE.

APPLICM'ION HLED AUG. 9, I915. RENEWED NOV. 4, 1920.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

MALCOLM H. BAKER, F BRAINIREE, MASSACHUSETTS; MARIE H. BAKER, ADMINIS-' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TRA'IRIX OF SAID MALCOLM H. BAKER, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR, BY MESN E ASSIGN- MENTS, TO 'IREMONT IIRODU'CTS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

TIME-RETARDED LAMP-EXTINGUISHING DEVICE.

Application filed August 9, 1915, Serial No. 44,602. Renewed November 4, 1920. Serial No. 421,792.

To aZZ ui/zoma tmay concern:

Be it known that I, MALCOLM H. BAKER,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident v of lBraintree, in the county of Norfolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Time-Retarded Lamp-Extinguishing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to self-contained lamp governing apparatus, wherein is incorporated devices automatically operative to delay the actual extinguishment of the lamp for a substantial interval of time after the manual actuation of the controlling apparatus that is designed to effect such extinguishment, such devices however being so arranged as to permit the lamp, when supplied with fuel and lighted,'continually to burn or operate in a normal manner until after said extinguishment-causing actuation.

Apparatus in general designed for a similar aurpose is disclosed in my co-pending appl ications, Serial No. 17,805, filed Mar. 29, 1915, and Serial No. 23,991, filed April 26, 1915', wherein is employed thermodynamic devices arranged to be rendered slowly operative to cause such delayed lamp extinguishment through the time required to raise said devices to an operative temperature after-same are subjected to a substantially constant source of heat.

The present invention contemplates the use of a purely mechanical lamp-governing apparatus for accomplishing the above described functions as distinguished fromlan apparatus incorporating thermo-dynamic devices for producing the desired interval of delay before lamp extinguishment; and an apparatus which is readily applicable, referably, in a self-contained structural orm, to any of the common and conventional types of illuminatin lamps, whether utilizing as a light pro ucing fuel, gas, oil, or electricity. Y,

The invention has as its object, broadly, to meet the almost universal need for the continuance of light for a brief interval after the said light has been turned off, it being difficult to cite an instance where such continuance of light, for a period ranging from one to say three minutes, is not only Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 23, 1921 I J deslrable as a matter of convenience but even as a preventive of accidents.

Not only in domest1c use is such continuance desirable, but in commercial'use as in' factories, stores, or shops, it becomes of con srderable importance, slnce it avoids the condltion of groping in the dark on the part of the last person to leave such premises, and

becomes specifically convenient in cases and that such devices as dash pots or liquid controlled means have been used which operate to extinguish the light a definite time after it has been turned on, but none of these meet the needs which my invention fulfils',-t

which is, specifically, to provide means adapted to cause extinguishment of the light a definite time after actuation, and to actuate such means, not by the turning on of the light, but either by a reversal, or turning oif action of the lighting means, or by an equivalent thereof. This provides a lamp which is turnedon and lighted in the usual -manner, and which presents the usual turning off means,but which further provides means .to retard the action of the said turning off means when the latter are, operated. That is, a key, chain pull, or the equivalent is provided to turn on the lamp in the usual manner,-and means are provided whereby, when the said key or a sgparate instrumentality is actuated to turn 0 the lamp, extinguishment is delayed for a brief period, say one to three minutes, sufficient to meet the urposes for which the invention is intended The purpose and operative principles that characterize a lam extinguishing apparatus of the above escribed nature are entirely foreign to the numerous and wellknown safety, fuel-cut-off devices that are cbmmonly applied to gas lam s for auto accidentally extinguished. In such safety devices there is commonly employed a spring, or other power means, .constantly tendingto close'thegas-supp1 valve and restrained from so acting whi e the lamp is normally burning, by a latch, brake, or other locking device that depends for its restraining action entirely on heat generated by the burner flame. 1 In contrast to such devices it is the purpose of my invention, to provide a lamp whose fuel supply is not necessarily dependent upon-heat generated by the lamp, and that further incorporates retarded lamp extindguishing mechanism designed to be ren--,

dere operative for the purpose of extinguishing the lamp at a-time when the is normally burning.

Specifically, herein, I make use of spring 'motor to extinguish thelamp,,and retard the action of such motor either by a fan retarded gear system, a dash pot device, or

lamp

7 other retarding equivalents.

I have illustrated my invention in theannexed drawin in which Figure 1 is an elevation and 1g. 2 a plan, partially sectioned, of an ordinary fish tail gas burner provided with my retarded ,extinguishment means. Fig. 3. is an elevation of an electric light bulb similarly provided, and Fig. 4 again shows, in elevation, a gas burner in connection with extin ishing means of another type. Fig. 5 is a form modified from Fig. 4 and shown in elevation, and Fig. 6 illustrates my device adapted to an oil lamp burner. r

In the drawings, in Figs. 1 and 2, the flame of the' burner appears (in .Fig. 1

only) atl and the burner stem at 2. The

1 usual taper valve 21', operating in a valve casing7, carries a disk 3 provided'with a pin 6. An arm 5'is freely pivoted to the L disk 3 and carries pull chains 8, 9, and also an auxiliary arm, or .extension, 55. train of gear wheels appears at 15 and a retarding fan at 16. A coiled spring is shown at 20. 8

Operationis as follows,when the chain 8 is'pulled the,,,arm 5 swings, engages the pin 6 and rotates the disk 3 to open, the

"valve. This disk is then locked in the open positiontby the engagement of the slot 11 with the spring catch 12 and thus maintained open against the action of the coiled catch 12 thereby opening the same from en-l gagement with the slot 11 and thus freeing vful on.

the disk 3. This disk is then rotated slowly to the closed position of the valve, the motion being retarded by the action of the ,gear train'l5 and fan 16,'which are now brought into action, to oppose the unwinding movementof the spring 20, b the engagement of the pawl 17 with t e wheel 18. The arrangement of the holes in the valve and valve casing are such that a considerable closing movement 'of the said valve takes. lace before the gas begins to be cut off. y this means a considerable time element is introduced between the actuation ofthe chain 8 and the extinguishment of the li ht.v

In ig. 3 the same arrangement of gear train is applied to anelectric light bulb 26, a series connection with the said bulb be, ing made from the contact 25, the contact 24, and the disk 3. In this device, when the chain 8 is pulled the arm 5 engages the pin 6 of the disk 3, rotates the said disk, brings together the contacts 24, 25, and

13 with the slot 11 in the usual manner.

-The coiled spring 20 (not shown in the figure) has in the meantime been wound up" precisely as in Fig. 1. To extinguish, the chain 9 is pulled, swinging back the arm 5 and releasing the catch 13. The disk 3 is now rotated as before and against the retarding action of the fan "16 until the contact 24 has left the contact 25 when the lamp is extinguished. The length of bearing given to 25 of course determines the time interval elapsing before extinguishment. This'figure, it is to be understood, is largely diagrammatic, so far as the electrical ortions are concerned.

In ig. 4, the chain 8, when pulled, rotates directly the disk'3 thus opening the valve and at the same time raising the dash pot plunger 29 (which is permitted to lift freely through the opening of the ball valve 28) as well as placing in tension the spring 32. The valve is locked open by the engagement of the catch arm 33, which is pivoted to the disk 3 at 35, with the fixed block 34.

To extinguish, the chain 9 is pulled, which frees the said catch 33 from 34 and thus permits the spring '32 to close the valve against the retarding action of the dash pot.

In this case, also, the valve arrangement is suchas to permit cohsiderable closing action of the'valve ste before gas is cut off.

Fig. 5 shows a modification of Fig. 4 whereby the gas may be turned on or reg 'ulated as desired independent of the extinguishing means,whereas in the former ty es the gas hasbeen required to be turned 11 this figure, the gas is turned on to any desired degree by means of the chain 8,and a second chain might be provided to rotate the valve in the direction opposite to that caused by said chain 8 if desired, by which means the gas mightbe raised or lowered or immediately eXtin-' guished. When it is desired to extinguish with time interval, the chain 9 is pulled, which raises the plunger 29 of the dash pot 27 and at the same time energizes the spring 32. On releasing this chain 9, after the pulhthe dash pot plunger slowly descends under the influence of thespring 32, and the catch 41, carried by the arm 40, reaches and engages the slot llof the disk 3, no

matter at what position of rotation the said disk may happen to be set. Whennthis engagement takes place, the disk 3 is of course also rotated and the'valve closed. Suitable time interval is provided by giving considerable travel to the catch 41 before it engages with the slot 11.

In Fig. 6, the burner appears at 45 and the chain 9 is pulled to extinguish the lamp; This rotates the disk 50 and thereby the wheel 18 to wind up the coiled spring 2Q (see F ig. 1) in the usual manner. On releasing the chain, the said spring unwinds in the usual manner, the action being retarded as before, (in Fig. 1) by the fan 16 through engagement of pawl 17 and gear train 15.

When the disk 50 is rotated the slot 54.- therein engages the catch a9 pivoted at 48 tothe arm 46, which arm is fulcrumed at 47 to the burner structure. On the reverse rotation of the disk 50 the end of the arm 46 is thrown over the flame 44 to extinguish same. As rotation continues the catch 49 leaves, the slot 54, the arm 46 falls back out of extinguishment position with relation to the flame 44 through the action of excess weight to the left of fulcrum 4:7, and rota tion is finally checked-by engagement of slot 54 with catch 51. The lamp is nowready for re-lighting as may be desired.

A suitable time interval is secured by means of the travel distance given to the slot 54 before engagement is made with the catch 49.

" It is evident that many other forms of mechanical retarding devices might be employed,-in addition to the two general types herein illustrated, without departing from the spirit of my invention, which may be summarized as the introduction, by purely mechanical means in the present application of a time interval between the actuation of the extinguishing mechanism of a lamp and the actual occurrence of extinguishment. Or, in other words, the introduction of retarding means into the operation of lamp extinguishment.

Of course the herein described means might be applied to dim, in place of extinguishing, a lamp. without departing from the spirit of the invention, and wherein, in

the claims, I have used the word decrease in connection with the light emitted by a lamp,'thisword is to be taken as covering any decrease down to and includingtotal extinguishment.

vOf course the means employed to turn on and turn off, or extinguish, lamps, vary with the different typesof lamps. For example, with a gas lamp the actuation of the turnin on. means involves the opening of a va ve, after which the gas is ignited in the usual manner. With an electric lamp the actuation of the turning on means results directly in-the lighting of the lamp, while with an oil lamp the said actuation merely comprises the withdrawal of the extinguisher so as to leave the wick free for ignition. Similarly, the actuation of the extinguishing means involves the closing of a valve with gas lamps; the opening of a circuit, generally, with electric lamps; and the movement of the. extinguisher with oil means must be adapted to be manuallv actuated and then released, after which the lamp must continue in normal operation, or in a condition for normal operation. In this respect the device illustrated is difierent from any lamp adapted to be automatically extinguished a predetermined time after be ing turnedon.

erever, therefore, the terms means to turn on the lamp or extinguishing means occur they are to be taken in this broad sense, and not in the sense of being limited to a valve movement, or a switch movement. Without, therefore, limiting myself to the precise forms shown herein, what I claim 1s,-

i 1. In combination with a gas burner and controlling valve therefor, means adapted upon designed manipulation to open" the valve; actuating devices including a motor spring adapted to be energized, upon open ing of the valve, to close the same; and mechanism arranged independently of the operation of said burner automatically to spring; and mechanism arranged to cooperate with the spring-urged movement of said actuator and rendered operative through designed manipulation of said control extension to effect the removal of said element from retention by said means.

3. In a lamp the combination with light controllin apparatus arranged independently of t e burning of the lamp normally to permit indefinite continuation of said burning; of normally idle automatically acting'lamp extinguishing mechanism; retarding devices for slowing down the auto 7 matic action ofsaid mechanism when the latter is set in motion; and control means arran ed upon one movement to energize said mec anism and hold the same inoperative; and upon a subsequent movement to release said mechanism and set the same in motion to extinguish the lamp.

4. In a self-contained gas burner and controlling valve arrangement, in combination; normally-inactive, automatic, spring-actuated, mechanism, including a retarding device connected to slow down the movement /thereof, operatively related to said valve to close the same; manually-operable means operatively arranged upon one control movement thereof to energize said mechanism, and to set said valve open for continuous burner operation; and means automatically to hold said mechanism inoperative when so tionbetween said first means and said last means, whereby independent reverse movement of said first means is operative to re lease said mechanism to close the valve.

5. In a self-contained gas burner and controlling valve arrangement, in combination; normally inactive, automatic mechanism, operatively related to the valve to close the same, and comprising a spring-actuated element with mechanical retarding devices to slow down the movement thereof; a single, manually-operable member, operatively related both to said valve and to said mechanism, and adapted b a single control movement to energize sai mechanism and to set said valve to permit continuous, undisturbed operation of the burner; and a spring-actuated catch positioned automatically normally to hold said mechanism inoperative when so energized, and arranged to be tripped by a reverse movement of said member, thereby to release the automatic valveclosin mechanism for action.

6. 1% a lamp, in combination; a source of light; an element movable between osi'tions respectively to free and to cut off said source of light; a self-returnable actuator for said element having retarding devices to impede automatic return movement thereof from a tensioned position and arranged during said return movement to im el said element to its cut-off position relative to the source of light; mechanism independent of lamp operation for holding said element retracted from its said out ofi position when not impelled thereto b said actuator; and control instrumenta ities arranged to energize and release said actuator for causing its selfreturn, while the lamp is normally burning.

I n witness 'whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 7th da of Au ust 1915.

a MA C-OLM II. BAKER. Witnesses:

- Sumo AMoaoso,

RAYMOND D. SMITH. 

